Blog

Healthy fingernails should be pink with a touch of pinkish-white (moons) near the base. If your nails are dull-looking colour, or streaked with other colours, you may have a hidden health problem. Our nails tell us a lot – they aren’t the only warning system of course, but can be helpful.

Green nails usually indicates a bacterial infection

Red streaks in the nail bed could be a warning sign of a heart valve infection

Blue nails are an indication that your blood oxygen levels are low

Dull nails generally indicate a vitamin deficiency

White nails could be a signal of liver disease such as hepatitis

Dark stripes at the top of the nails are often associated with ageing and possible congestive heart failure

Here are some more signs to look for:

Very thick nails: are not normal – they should be strong, but they should not be too thick. Unusually thick nails could signal:

Lung disease

If also rough-textured as well as thick, might can point to a fungal infection

Thyroid disease or psoriasis especially if separated

A circulation problem

Allergy if they just suddenly get thick.

Split nails: are when they seem to flake away in layers, they could be due to:

A deficiency in folate, Vitamin C and protein

Psoriasis, especially if combined with a pitted nail bed (base)

Chronic malnutrition

Concave (spoon) nails: are nails which are soft and curve upwards forming a dip that is often big enough to hold water, and may signal a number of internal issues:

Iron deficiency anaemia

Hemachromatosis, a liver disorder where your body absorbs and stores too much iron

Heart disease

Hypothyroidism

Very often as your health challenge is sorted out, your nails will return to normal in time